Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-12-19
Blaine on the Message

ifesto. evidently anticipating an en-
laroed market for English fabrics II
the United States as a consequence
of the presidents recommendations
Perhaps that fact stamped the char
] acter of the message more clsarl.
: than any words of mine can. Im
! is the first time within the history o
the United States the president rec
ommends retaining the internal tag
that the tariff may be forced dowr
even below a fair revenue standard
He recommends that the tax on to-
bacco be retained. Thus many mil
lions will annually be levied on this
domestic prodnct which might far
better come from the tariff on foreign
fabrics. | should urge the repeal of
the tobacco tax at once, even before
the Christmas holidays. 1t would
bring great relief to the growers of to-
bacco all over the country and world ;
moreover, it would materially lessen
the price of the article to the consum-
ers. Tobacco to millions is a neces-
sity. The president calls it luxu-
~. 1t is such luxury as tea and
| coffee. Watch the men on the farm,
in the iron foundry, in any calling :;
| YOU will find ninetv-five in every hum
bred using it. After each meal the
same proportion seek the solace of
the pipe or cigar. These men pay
the millions of the tobacco tax, pay
on every plug of tobacco or cigar an
enhanced price which the tax enables
the manufacturer and retailer to i'm
pose.
Whiskev would be everywhere dis
titled if the surveillance of the gov
eminent was withdrawn by the re-
mission of the tax. Whiskey has
done a vast deal of harm, and would
try TO make it do some good. |
would use the tax to fortify the cities
on the sea-board. In view of the
powerful letter addressed to the dem
ocratic party by the late Samuel ].
TiIden in 1885, am amazed that no
attention has been paid to the subject
by the democratic administration.
Never before in the history of the
world has any government allowed
its great cities on the sea-board to
remain defenceless and after forti-
| fications are constructed | would still
maintain the tax on whiskey, and
when the national government had
no use for the money would divide
the tax among the federal Union
with the specific object of tightening
/ the tax on real estate. houses and
firms. The whole country pays too
large a proportion of the total taxes.
If ultimately relief could not be Civ
en- in that direction, it would, in my
judgment, be a wise and beneficial
policy.
Some honest and misguided friends
of temperance have urged that the
government should not use the money
derived from the tax on whiskey. Ny
reply is that the tax on whiskey, with
suppression of all illicit distillation
and with the consequent enhance
ment of the price, has been a power
full agent in temperance reform by
putting it beyond the reach of so
many.
l should seriously object to the re-
peal of the duty on wool, as it would
work great injustice to many inter
ests. The question of labor under
lies the whole subject. 1t is, in fact,
the entire question. Whenever we
can force artisans in every depart
ment to work cheaply and live as
poorly in the United States as SINH
lar workmen in Europe, we can, of
course. manufacture just as cheaply
as they do, but l am totally opposed
to the policy it would entail. To at
tempt it Is equivalent to a social and
financial revolution that would bring
untold distress.
The moment you begin to import
freely from Europe yon drive your
own workmen from mechanical and
manufacturing pursuits. In the same
proportion they become tillers of the
soil, increasing steadily the agricul-
tural product and decreasing steadily
the large home demand which is con-
stantly charging as home manufac-
lures enlarge. That, of course, works
great injury to the farmer, Cutting
the market with his products and
tending constantly to lower prices.
l do not mean to imply there should
be no reduction of the national sur
plus. | would reduce it by the prompt
/ repeal of the tobacco tax; make some
changes in tariff; not reduce protec-
ton, but wisely foster it. No great
system Of revenue like our tariff can
operate with efficiency and equity IN
less the changes Of the trade be close
IL watched and the law promptly
adapted to the changes. In'the act
of 1883 we made changes of the char
acter / have tried to indicate. If
such changes are made and the forti-
flying and sea-coast thus undertaken,
/ at verv moderate annual outlay, no
surplus viii be found after that al
ready accumulated Is disposed OF.
The presidents recommendation to
admit raw material will not find a
strong support by wise protectionists-
1t is vastly more important not to
i ~.